Contour forming blade for use with earth moving equipment



May 14, 1963 F. E. GARDNER CONTOUR FORMING BLADE FOR USE WITH EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT Filed Feb. 15, 1961 FIG. I

INVENTOR; FLOYD E. GARDNER FIG. 3

ATTORNEY 3,089,262 Patented May 14, 1963 3,089,262 CGNTOUR FGRMING BLADE FOR USE WITH EARTH MOVING EQUIPMENT Floyd E. Gardner, 539 Wooster Road, Akron, Ohio Filed Feb. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 89,009 1 Claim. (Cl. 37129) This invention relates to the art of earth moving equipment and in particular has reference to an improved type of contour forming scraper blade that has particular adaptability in connection with such equipment.

Earth moving equipment of the type herein referred to has long been known. In essence such earth moving equipment consists of a power unit and a loading unit, with the power unit being preferably of the type that has two wheels only and that is pivotally connected to the loading unit which also rolls on two rearwardly disposed wheels. The loading unit includes a loading bucket or pan that is provided with rearwardly extending arms that are journaled for pivotal movement around the axis of the wheel support members thereof. In this fashion, hydraulic power means operative between the power and loading units can raise or lower the loading pan, for the purpose of transporting relatively large quantities of dirt.

Further, and by way of specific example, the loading pans of such earth moving equipment normally have a frontal opening that is selectively opened or closed by a swingable front wall member that is usually referred to as an apron.

The location of the apron is normally determined by whether the unit is in loading or transporting condition and the same is used to close or open the pan, dependent on position. Thus, in the normal instance, the loading pan will be lowered until the leading edge of the open end thereof is in ground engaging contact and, at this time, the unit will move the pan forwardly across the ground to cause earth to be scooped into the pan by the leading edge. When the pan is full the apron will swing down to close the open end of the pan and, at this time, the entire loading pan will be elevated around the rear wheels, at which time the same can be rapidly transported to another location.

To the present time, it has been impractical to employ the above type of equipment in connection with the diging of irrigation ditches, which are of a predetermined depth and which include sloping side walls of definite and certain angular inclination. It is believed obvious that existent earth moving equipment of the type above described could not effectuate the cutting or ditching of such irrigation ditches and that present day use is limited to removal of dirt dug or trenched by another machine.

It has been discovered, however, that the above equipment can be utilized at a high rate of efficiency if the same is provided with a contour forming scraper blade of predetermined configuration, with this contour forming scraper blade being attached to the mold board or leading edge of the loading pan so as to cause the digging of a properly contoured irrigation ditch upon forward movement of the earth moving equipment. The thus modified earth mover can thus load during ditching and can, accordingly, accomplish that which previously required two machines and two operations to accomplish.

it has further been discovered that a blade of this type will have its effectiveness enhanced if the same is provided with reinforcement that connects with at least one point on the loading pan.

It has been further discovered that this blade can be designed for ready and quick atachment or detachment with respect to the earth moving equipment as required, with the result that earth moving equipment on a building site can be quickly and readily adapted to the added function of providing the irrigation, road or other ditches of the type that are required at such building sites.

Production of a contour forming scraper blade having the above described utility with earth moving equipment accordingly becomes the principal object of this invention, with other objects becoming more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification, considered and interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawmgs.

Of the drawings:

FIGURE -1 is a perspective view of the improved contour forming scraper blade operatively associated with earth moving equipment of the character described.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section taken on the lines 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is another vertical section taken on the lines 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view substantially in a horizontal plane and taken on the lines 44 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1 thereof the improved contour forming scraper blade, generally designated by the numeral 10, is shown associated with the leading or mold board edge 11 of the loading pan .12 of earth moving equipment that is generally designated by the numeral 13; the arrangement being such that upon advancement of the earth moving equipment 13 in the direction of arrow 14, an irrigation or other type ditch D will be formed to the cross sectional outline shown in FIGURE 3.

Referring next to FIGURES 1 and 2 for a detailed description of the earth moving equipment 13, it suffices to say that the same includes in basic essence, a power unit 20 and a loading unit 21, with the power unit 20 being supported around driven wheels 22, 22, while the loading unit is supported for ground movement by the wheel members 23, 23.

As shown in FIGURE 2, there is a pivot shaft 24 around which the trunnion 25 of the loader unit may be positioned so as to permit turning movement of the power unit 20. A yoke member 27 is lowered or raised with respect to the wheels 22 by known hydraulic or other mechanical type of mechanism so as to effectuate pivotal movement of the loading pan 12 around the axle 28 upon which the rear wheels 23 are mounted.

In addition to the aforementioned component parts, the loading pan 12 further includes the front wall element or apron 30 that is mounted on rearwardly extending arms 31, 31 that are pivotally jour-naled as at 32, to the opposed side walls 33 and 34 of the loading pan, with these side walls 33 and 34 integrally connecting with a bottom wall 35 and rear wall 36 so as to form a chamber within which dirt may be scooped upon advancement of the power unit.

The arrangement by which the front wall 30 is raised or lowered between open or closed position as shown in full and chain dotted lines is well understood in the art and does not form a part of this invention. Accordingly, no detailed description of this is shown, al-

6? though it is to be understood that this front wall is lowered into closure position when the loading unit is elevated and is open as shown in full lines when the same is in loading position as shown in FIGURE 2.

Turning next to FIGURE 3 for a more detailed description of the leading edge 11, it will be seen that the same is usually disposed at a slight angle of inclination with respect to the remainder of bottom wall 35, with this condition of angular inclination being best shown in FIGURE 2. In practice, this leading edge 11 is apertured to receive the usual mold board which is releasably bolted to the front edge 11 to reinforce the same during use. Accordingly, the same includes a hole pattern made of holes 11a, 11a that are disposed rearwardly of and parallel to edge 11.

The actual construction of the contour forming scraper blade is best detailed in FIGURE 4 and, accordingly, referring to FIGURE 4, it will be seen that the blade 10 is substantially of blunted arrow-like configuration in planar outline so as to include a base edge 40, a shorter but parallel leading edge 41, and opposed side edges 42 and 43, that uniformly converge between the base edge 40 and the leading edge 41 as shown in FIG- URE 4.

The base edge 40 has a width in plan that approximates the span between the side walls 33 and 34, and as shown in FIGURE 4, the edges 42 and 43 thereof are provided with respective shoulders 42a and 43a that bear against the frontal edges of the wall surfaces 34 and 33, respectively. This notching or offsetting provides support against forces that are applied against the leading edge 41 in the direction of arrow 45 (FIGURE 4). In addition to the aforementioned component parts, the base edge portion 46* further includes a row of apertures 46, 46 that may be aligned in registry with the apertures 11a, 1111 provided in edge portion 11, with the actual connection between edge 11 and blade 10 being by bolts 60, 60 as best illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3.

For the purpose of providing additional support against forces applied in the direction of the arrow 45 (FIG- URE 4) the improved form of the invention further contemplates the provision of a pair of elongate arms 50 and 51 that are welded at one end to the rear face of the blade 10 just rearwardly of the leading edge 41 thereof, with this point of connection being indicated by the number 52 in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. The remaining ends of the support arms 50 and 51 are preferably freely socketed within box members 54 and 55, respectively, with the box members 54 and 55 being Welded or otherwise secured to the bottom 35, as shown in the drawings, and with the arm ends being preferably freely positioned therein. It is to be understood, however, that a pin type of connection could be employed at this point. Additionally, and for cutting purposes, the leading edge 41 is chamfered as at 41a to define a knifelike leading edge.

In use or operation of the improved contour forming scraping blade 10, it is merely necessary that the usual mold board he removed by removing the bolts 60, 60, and, at this point the contour forming scraping blade 10 can have the holes 46, 46 thereof aligned in registry with the now vacant openings 11a, 11a of the edge 11. Prior to replacement of the bolts, however, the rearwardly extending support arms 50 and 51 will be positioned within the support boxes 54 and 55 and when this positioning and alignment has been completed the bolts -60, 66 can be reinserted through the aligned apertures in the edge of the blade and at this time the device is ready for use. It will be noted that due to such aligned positioning that the notches or shoulders 42a and 43a will be in supported registry with the forwardly presented ends of the opposed wall members 34 and 33 so that there will, accordingly, be provided two separate and distinct points of support for forces applied on the URES l and 2, it is believed obvious that a ditch D of the cross section shown in FIGURE 3 will be cut and that dirt so cut will be progressively advanced into the confines of the loading bucket 12. When the same is fully loaded, the loading scoop 12. may be elevated in known fashion and the apron 30 lowered, at which time the dirt so removed may be transported and dumped. It should be noted that during digging as just described, the dirt will be automatically directed into the confines of the loading scoop 12 so that simultaneous digging and loading occurs.

When the load has been dumped as just described, the operator may return the unit to the position where previous ditching has stopped and ditching may be resumed until completed.

It will be seen from the foregoing how there has been provided a new and improved type of contour forming scraping blade that has particular utility in adapting earth moving equipment to ditch digging purposes. It has been shown how the scraper blade disclosed provides an accurate and true dimensioned ditch of predetermined depth, width and slope and further how a ditch of this type can be cut with heretofore unattainable rigidity.

It has also been shown how the improved scraper blade is quickly and readily adaptable to use with standard earth moving equipment without altering or modifying the same and how two built-in points of support have been provided against cutting forces encountered by the advancing leading edge of the scraper blade.

While a full and complete disclosure of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dictates of the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form shown herein.

Accordingly, modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A contour forming scraper blade for use on an earth mover, comprising;-a loading pan secured to said earth mover and having a ground engaging leading edge; a fiat plate having a blunted arrow-head like configuration in plan so as to include a base edge; a shorter leading edge parallel to said base edge and opposed side edges that are parallel to each other throughout the part of their longitudinal extent adjacent said base edge and that converge toward said leading edge throughout the remainder of their longitudinal extent; said base edge being of sufficient width to have its longitudinal ends received between the opposed side walls of said loading pan; said base edge being apertured for releasable attachment to said leading edge of said loading pan, said shorter leading edge of said plate projecting beyond the leading edge of said loading pan in coplanar alignment therewith; said opposed side edges of said plate being offset at their point of juncture with said base edge and defining shoulder portions disposed in parallel and bearing against the front edges of the opposed sidewalls of said loading pan, whereby said shoulders provide support against forces encountered by said leading edge of said blade; and at least one elongate support arm secured at its forward end to said blade and extending rearwardly of said leading edge thereof; said arm having :a length greater than the distance between the base and leading edges of said blade and support means 5 6 carried by said loading pan rearwardly of said ground 872,439 Livengood Dec. 3, 1907 engaging leading edge thereof and releasably suppor e 2,083,307 Schultz June 8, 1937 ing the rearward end of said arm against forces received 2,172,672 Daniel's Sept. 12, 1939 by said fiat plate. 2,304,786 Armington et a1. Dec. 15, 1942 5 2,590,352 Sanner et a1. Mar. 25, 1952 References Cited In the file of this patent 2,726463 Rogfirs D60. 13 1955 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,919,153 Benton Dec. 29, 1959 681,857 Rinlen Sept. 3, 1901 2,981,015 Duke Apr. 25, 196 1 

